Decorative hand grip connectors for double tubular arm rests



Jan. 17, 1961 B. R. LESSER 2,968,342 DECORATIVE HAND GRIP CONNECTORS FOR DOUBLE TUBULAR ARM RESTS Filed March 24, 1960 k5 v I! [320 l INVENTOR. 'j BERTRAND R. LESSER United States Patent "ice 2,968,342 DECORATIVE HAND GRIP CONNECTORS FOR DOUBLE TUBULAR ARM RESTS Bertrand R. Lesser, 24 Stonewall Lane, Mamaroneck, N.Y. Filed Mar. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 17,394 2 Claims. (Cl. 155-198) The invention herein disclosed relates to arm rest constructions for tubular furniture.

Objects of the invention are to provide a simple, inexpensive, ornamental and attractive form of connection between the tubular sections of an arm rest for chairs or other furniture, which in addition to serving as a mechanical connection between the tubular sections will provide a convenient and comfortable rest and grip for the hand supported on the arm rest.

Other, special objects of the invention are to provide a connector in the form of a cover shielding and protecting the ends of the tubular arm rest sections and forming a finish piece which may be readily secured to and over the ends of such tubular sections.

Other desirable objects and results accomplished by the invention are set forth and will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification illustrates a present practical embodiment of this invention. Structure however may be modified and changed as regards the immediate illustration, all within the true intent and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. 1 in the drawing is a side elevation of an arm rest having the invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken sectional view on substantially the plane of line 3-3 of Fig, 1; and

Fig. 4 is a broken longitudinal sectional view on a vertical plane substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The arm rest illustrated is made up of two companion tubular sections 7 and 8, which in this invention may be of duplicate formation, designed to be secured in side by side relation to form a comfortable rest for the arm of the occupant of a chair or other such piece of furniture.

The inner downwardly bent end portions 9, 10 of the tubular arm sections are shown rigidly secured together in abutting relation by rivet or equivalent through fastenings 11.

The outer or forward ends of the tubular members may be spread apart as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 to provide wider support for the arm and to provide a valley or recess 12 between the spaced portions for relaxing the arm in a more or less centered supported position.

To connect and shield the forward cut ends of the tubular members a special nose is provided in the form of a cap or cover 13 wide enough to embrace the spread apart ends of the tubular elements and having within the hollow of the same inwardly projecting tubular extensions 14, 1'5 of a size to enter the ends of such members, shouldered at 16, 17 as indicated in Fig. 3 to form smooth flush joints with the outer peripheral portions of the tubular members.

At the top and the bottom the cap is extended back in tapered tongues 18, 19 into position between the forwardly flaring tubular pieces and these tongues are secured together in this interposed position between the tubular members by a rivet or similar fastening 20, Fig. 4.

Patented Jan. 17, 1961 In addition this rivet or like fastening serves as an anchorage for a hook or hooks 21, 22, entered the first through a slot 23 in the inner tube into holding engagement with that tube, Fig. 3, and the second through a slot 24 into holding engagement with the outer tube.

For further security the two tubes forming the arm rest are shown secured by a through rivet or fastening 25 connecting these tubes forwardly of the hook fasteners 21, 22.

The nose piece 13 as a practical matter may be made of plastic finished to form an ornamental hand grip on the end of the arm rest. It may be shaped to serve as a convenient, comfortable grip for the hand and for that efiect is shown in the illustration as lengthened or extended at the inner side of the arm rest and tapered back and outwardly from this forwardly extended part toward the outside as indicated at 26 in Figs. '2 and 3.

The plastic tip may be internally reinforced by longitudinal ribs 27, 28 in the forward, top and bottom por-. tions of the same.

The invention provides a simple inexpensive and attractive finish for the duplex chair arm and a construction which is light in weight and strong and durable. The plastic end cap furthermore forms a guard protecting the chair arm against injury.

.While two books 21, 22 have been shown for securing the end cap it will be evident that one such hook may suffice and this is a factor where there may be some mechanism in one tube which would interfere with using a hook with that tube for in such case one hook may be used with whichever arm piece is free to receive the same.

What is claimed is:

l. A chair arm comprising arm forming tubes having open ends spaced apart in horizontal side by side rela' tion, an end cap covering and closing the open ends of said arm forming tubes, said end cap being of hollow hand rest forming construction and proportions and having tubular projections within the same of a size and spaced to enter said open ends of the arm forming tubes, said end cap having tapered tongues extending from the top and bottom of the same and projecting into the space between the arm forming tubes and means fastening said tongues together in said relation and including means securing said connected tongues to at least one of said arm forming tubes.

2. A chair arm comprising arm forming tubes having open ends spaced apart in horizontal side by side relation, an end cap covering and closing the open ends of said arm forming tubes, said end cap being of hollow hand rest forming construction and proportions and having tubular projections within the same of a size and spaced to' enter said open ends of the arm forming tubes, said end cap having tapered tongues extending from the top and bottom of the same and projecting into the space between the arm forming tubes and means fastening said tongues together in said relation and including means securing said connected tongues to at least one of said arm forming tubes, said means comprising a fastening connecting said tongues together and a hook engaged on said fastening and extending through an opening in one of said arm forming tubes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

